High-blood pressure rate warning for NW

THE West and North-West regions of Tasmania have the third-highest rate of high blood pressure in Australia, according to new data from the Heart Foundation.

THE West and North-West regions of Tasmania have the third-highest rate of high blood pressure in Australia, according to new data from the Heart Foundation.

Heart Foundation Tasmania chief executive Graeme Lynch said the data showed that close to half of all people in the region were living with high blood pressure and over a third (37 per cent) also had high cholesterol.

"We're also alarmed that 28 per cent of people in Tasmania's West and North-West region continue to smoke, ranking fourth-highest in Australia."

❛ We’re also alarmed that 28 per cent of people in Tasmania’s West and North-West region continue to smoke, ranking fourth-highest in Australia .❜
- Graeme Lynch

Mr Lynch said a snapshot taken of cardiovascular disease from around Australia, unfortunately showed Tasmania completely covered in blood red when it came to outcomes. Tasmania has the highest rate of cardiovascular disease in Australia, according to the national data analysed by the National Heart Foundation of Australia.

Mr Lynch said the first of its kind geographical snapshot showed more than one in four Tasmanians living with CVD.

"These are people who have already had an event, like a heart attack, angina or stroke and are now at increased risk of having another," he said.

"What we're also particularly concerned for is the many Tasmanians who haven't yet had a heart attack or stroke but have the risk factors and may not know about it."

He said 100,000 Tasmanians had unmanaged or uncontrolled high blood pressure and one in six Tasmanians aged 45+ had both high blood pressure and cholesterol.

"It's vital if you're 45 or over, 35 or over if you're an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person, to ask your GP for a heart health check," he said.

"Many Tasmanians are a heart attack or stroke away from finding out they have cardiovascular disease."

Mr Lynch said people living in Launceston and the North-East had the highest rate of CVD in Tasmania at 29.9 per cent.

People in the South-East have the highest rate of cholesterol at 47 per cent.